100 Years Ago Today

[Sailor Steve]

September 19, 1918


Air War:

1810 English RAF ace Reginald Maxwell, flying Sopwith Camel C3380, shoots down a DFW C.V for victory number 7.

1900 German ace Josef Jacobs, with Jasta 7, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 29.

[Jimbuna]

20th September 1918

Western Front

British line pushed forward in the Lempire-Epehy sector; recapture of Moeuvres completed.

North-west of La Bassee British front advanced.

French repulse five attacks against their new positions near Allemant (north of the Aisne). They advance east of Essigny le Grand.

Eastern Front

Reported set-back of Czecho-Slovaks on the Volga; they are driven from Volsk, Simbirsk and Kazan by Bolshevist and German forces.

Southern Front

Bombs and leaflets dropped on Constantinople by R.A.F. in co-operation with Greek Navy.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Further brilliant progress in Palestine. The cavalry continue wide out-flanking movement to the north. They cross the Field of Armageddon and reach Beisan, Afulah, and Nazareth.

Ship Losses:

Aghios Nicolas (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (36°26′N 22°20′E) by SM U-27 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.
Aghios Spiridon (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (36°26′N 22°20′E) by SM U-27 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.
Angelina Pasquale (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily by SM UB-105 ( Imperial German Navy).
Circé (French Navy) The submarine was sunk in the Adriatic Sea (41°39′N 19°25′E) by SM U-47 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy) with the loss of all but one of her crew.
Dragonos (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (36°59′N 21°59′E) by SM U-27 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.
Igor (Sweden) The cargo ship sprang a leak and sank.
Kingfisher (United States) The trawler was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 85 nautical miles (157 km) off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (43°31′N 61°53′W) by SM U-155 ( Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.
Prof. Elias (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (36°42′N 22°12′E) by SM U-27 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.
San Michele (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily by SM UB-105 ( Imperial German Navy).
Theologos (Greece) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea (36°57′N 22°05′E) by SM U-27 ( Austro-Hungarian Navy). Her crew survived.
Von Jonquieres (Imperial German Navy) The Max Kochen-class Vorpostenboot capsized and sank in a storm off Helgoland.

[Sailor Steve]

September 20, 1918


Air War:

0635 American RAF ace Frederic Lord, flying Sopwith Dolphin C4127, shoots down a Hannover CL two-seat fighter for victory number 11.

0745 German ace Hermann Frommherz, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 23.

0745 German ace Friedrich Noltenius, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down SE.5a E4072 for victory number 11.

0750 Canadian RAF ace pilot Kennoth Conn and English ace observer Bruce Digby-Worsely, in Bristol F.2b E2216, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 14 for Conn; number 15 for Digby-Worsley.

0750 English RAF pilot George Poole and ace observer Charles Hill, in Bristol F.2b C922, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 4 for Poole; number 6 for Hill.

0755 Three RAF Bristol F.2b teams share a victory over a Fokker D.VII:
E2216: Kenneth Conn, Canada, number 15; Bruce Digby-Worsley, England, number 16.
????: Edgar Johnston, Australia, number 15; Walter Grant, Australia, number 4.
C922: George Poole, England, number 5; Charles Hill, England, number 7.

0800 German ace Georg Meyer, with Jasta 37, shoots down SE.5a D0645 for victory number 20. 2nd Lt H.F.V. Battle, 60 Sqdn RAF, is wounded.

1037 German ace Otto Schmidt, with Jasta 5, shoots down a Bristol F.2b for victory number 14.

1050 German ace Karl Odebrett, with Jasta 42, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 14.

1055 German ace Carl Degelow, with Jasta 40, shoots down Bristol F.2b E2260 for victory number 15. Lt M.F.J.R. Mahoney and 2nd Lt J.N. Keir, 48 Sqdn RAF, are both taken prisoner.

1445 Friedrich Noltenius scores his second victory of the day, shooting down Sopwith Camel F6192 for victory number 12. 1st Lt H. Jenkinson, 148th Aero Sqdn USAS, is killed.

1530 English RAF ace Leslie Hollinghurst, in Sopwith Dolphin C4136, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 7.

1540 German ace Franz Brandt, with Jasta 26, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 10.

1545 German ace Otto Fruhner, with Jasta 26, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 27.

1550 German ace Paul Bäumer, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 27.

German ace Gerhard Fieseleer, flying an Albatros D.III over the Macedonian Front, shoots down a Nieuport 12 for victory number 19. This is Fieseler's last aerial victory. He will survive the war, first running a printing shop and then becoming a flight instructor and then an acrobatic stunt pilot. He will become quite popular and start commanding large fees for his flying skills. Next he will design his own stunt plane, the F.I. Following this he will puchase a sailplane company and convert it to build sport planes of his own design. In 1935 Fieseler will start building aircraft for the German military, ultimately resulting in the legendar STOL liason plane, the Fieseler Storch. Following the Second World War Gerhard Fieseler will spend some time held by the Americans with no charges ever being filed. Finally released from prison he will go on to open an auto parts busines. Gerhard fieseler will die in 1987, aged 91.

German naval ace Theo Osterkamp, in an Albatros D.V, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 27.

[Jimbuna]

21st September 1918

Western Front

British encounter stubborn resistance but gain ground east of Epehy, capturing Le Petit Priel farm and other strong positions.

British line improved at Moeuvres.

Further French gains south of St. Quentin, they take Benay.

Southern Front

Franco-Serbian troops pursue Bulgarians past Kavadar and threaten Babuna pass. They reach the Vardar near Demirkapu and Negotin.

Bulgarians begin destroying their stores and war material preparatory to a retreat.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

Advance of British Infantry in Palestine; they reach Shechem and Samaria, and drive Turks into arms of cavalry operating southward from Jenin and Beisan.

East of Jordan the Hejaz Arabs cut the Damascus railway in numerous places. 18,000 prisoners taken.

Political, etc.

Sir M. de Bunsen returns from successful mission to South America.

Ship Losses:

Downshire (United Kingdom) The coaster was shelled and sunk in the Irish Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) west of Rockabill by SM UB-64 ( Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.
Santo Fortunato (Italy) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily by SM UB-105 ( Imperial German Navy).
Staithes (United Kingdom) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) south east by south of Sunderland, County Durham by SM UB-115 ( Imperial German Navy) with the loss of four of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

September 21, 1918


Air War:

1045 German ace Carl Degelow, flying with Jasta 40, shoots down RE.8 F5976 for victory number 16. Lt W.G. Allanson and 2nd Lt W.L. Anderson, 7 Sqdn RAF, are both killed.

1150 American RAF ace Francis Gillett, in Sopwith Dolphin E4859, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 7.

1222 German ace Josef Jacobs, with Jasta 7, shoots down DH.9 D3092 for victory number 30. 2nd Lt D.A. Shanks and Sgt R.J. Sear, 108 Sqdn RAF, are both killed.

1840 English RAF pilot Frederick Hung, in an SE.5a, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 4.

1840 German ace Josef Mai, with Jasta 5, shoots down a Bristol F.2b for victory number 27.

1905 German ace Hans Müller, flying with Jasta 18, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 12.

German ace Paul Bäumer, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down DH.9 F5827 for victory number 28. 2nd Lt O. McI. Turnbul and Lt D.F.V. Page, 57 Sqdb RAF, are both killed.

Paul Bäumer scores his second kill of the day, shooting down DH.9 A8089 for victory number 29. Lt A.N. Hyde and 2nd Lt W.W. Harrison, 205 sqdn RAF, are both killed.

Paul Bäumer gains his third victory of the day, another DH.9. There is no British record of a third DH.9 being lost, but 205 Sqdn does report a 2nd Lt Tunstall wounded.

German ace Rudolf Klimke, with Jasta 27, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 17. This is Klimke's last aeral victory, as he then attacks a Bristol F.2b whose observer hits him three times in the shoulder. He manages to land back at his home field, only to narrowly escape death when the hospital he is at is bombed. Klimke will go on to serve in the Luftwaffe during World War 2. There seems to be very little information on the rest of his life, but he will live until 1990.

There is a supplement to the London Gazette on this date, mentioning an RNAS/RAF Gunlayer named William Jones:
"He has taken part in 105 successful bombing raids and has shown conspicuous courage and determination often in the face of stron opposition and intense anti-aircraft fire. He has destroyed or brought down out of control six hostile machines."
There are no official records of this observer or any other mention of him.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/...pplement/11257
(Link is to a PDF download for that newspaper article)

[Jimbuna]

22nd September 1918

Western Front

Hostile attacks north-west of La Bassee fail.

South of St. Quentin French reach outskirts of Vendeul and gain ground east of Sancy.

Southern Front

Great Allied victory in Balkans; Brilliant Serbian attack; Bulgarians retreat on 100-mile front, from Monastir to Lake Doiran.

Allies cut Vardar railway and line from Prilep to Gradsko. They advance on Babuna Pass.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

British seize passages of Jordan north of Dead Sea and close enemy's last means of escape. 25,000 prisoners and 260 guns taken. The 7th and 8th Turkish armies are virtually wiped out.

Ship Losses:

HMT Elise (Royal Navy) The naval trawler was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) north east of St. Mary's Lighthouse, Northumberland (55°06′N 1°27′W) by SM UB-34 ( Imperial German Navy) with the loss of fourteen of her crew.
Euthamia (United Kingdom) The trawler strucke a mine and sank in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) east by north of the Humber Lightship ( United Kingdom).
Gaia (Portugal) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores (37°13′N 23°19′W) by SM U-157 ( Imperial German Navy).
Gorsemore (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 44 nautical miles (81 km) south east of Cape Colonne, Italy (38°28′N 17°51′E) by SM UC-53 ( Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.
Polesley (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) north of the Pendeen Lighthouse, Cornwall (50°13′N 4°46′W) by SM UB-88 ( Imperial German Navy) with the loss of 43 of her crew.

[Sailor Steve]

September 22, 1918


Air War:

0750 German ace Karl Bohnenkamp, flying with Jasta 30, claims two Sopwith Camels for victories 9 and 10.

0815 German ace Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, with Jasta 30, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 12.

0845 American ace George Vaughn, in Sopwith Camel F6034, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 8.

0850 German ace Wilhelm Neuenhofen, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down Sopwith Camel F6034 for victory number 9. American 8-victory ace George Augustus Vaughn, 17th Aero Sqdn USAS, is forced to land, unharmed. Within a couple of hours he will be airborne again.

0850 German ace Fritz Reimer, with Jasta 26, shoots down Sopwith Camel F5969 for victory number 8. 2nd Lt G.P. Thomas, 17th Aero Sqdn USAS, is killed.

0956 German ace Karl Odebrett, flying with Jasta 42, shoots down a Bréguet 14 for victory number 15. The plane is from Esc Br 123. The observer, 1st Lt E.M. Powell, USAS, is wounded.

1205 George Vaughn scores his second kill of the day, another Fokker D.VII, for number 9.

1700 Australian AFC ace pilot George Peters and ace observer James Traill, in Bristol F.2b B1278, shoot down a DFW C.V. Victory number 7 for Peters; number 6 for Traill.

German ace Oskar von Boegnik, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 26. This is his last aerial victory. He will survive the war, retiring from military life in 1920. From 1924 until 1933 he will serve as an executive in the German Front-Line Soldiers Union, and then in 1934 return to the military as a Major in the Luftwaffe, holding several positions in that capacity, be promoted to Generalmajor in 1941 and retiring in 1943. Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk will be captured by the Russians in May 1945 and die in captivity at age 52 on January 30, 1946.

German ace Hermann Frommherz, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down Sopwith Camel F2157 for victory number 24. 1st Lt T.E. Tillingast, 17th Aero Sqdn USAS, is taken prisoner.

Australian RAF ace pilot Edgar Johnston, flying a Bristol F.2b, shoots down an LVG two-seater for victory number 15. Johnston's official listing has Walter Grant as his observer on this mission, but Grant's listing shows nothing for this day. Who Johnston's observer was is uncertain.

German ace Bruno Loerzer, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel from the 17th Aero Sqdn for victory number 42. Details other than the unit are unknown.

German ace Emil Thuy, with Jasta 28, shoots down SE.5a C8864 for victory number 31. 2nd Lt J.C. Gunn, 56 Sqdn RAF, is taken prisoner.

[Jimbuna]

23rd September 1918

Western Front

Series of local battles along front; Germans make stubborn resistance round Epehy.

French advance their line east of St. Quentin Canal; they reach the Oise, three miles north of La Fere.

Actions round Haumont on American front.

Eastern Front

Bulgarian rout; French cavalry enter Prilep, enemy stream northward toward Veles pursued by Allied troops.

Serbians in neighbourhood of Demir Kapu are well north of the Vardar.

British advance north of Lake Doiran and their cavalry pursue Bulgarians along road to Strumitsa.

Southern Front

East of Jordan, Colonial and Jewish troops pursue Turkish 4th Army in retreat towards Amman on Hejaz railway; British reach Es Salt.

Arab forces occupy Maan (south of Dead Sea); harass enemy retreating north.

Increasing number of prisoners.

British capture Acre and Haifa.

Ship Losses:

Aldershot (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east south east of Dartmouth, Devon by SM UB-113 (both Imperial German Navy) with the loss of a crew member.
Edlington (United Kingdom) The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) east by south of Cape Passaro, Sicily, Italy (36°42′N 16°37′E) by SM UC-54 ( Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.

[Sailor Steve]

September 23, 1918


Air War:

0715 Australian AFC ace pilot Edward Kenny and ace observer Leslie Sutherland, flying Bristol F.2b C4626, shoot down a DFW C.V. Victory number 6 for Kenny; number 7 for Sutherland.

1030 German ace Oliver Beaulieu-Marconnay, with Jasta 19, shoots down a Salmson 2.A2 for victory number 20. Cpl Latil and Sgt Saloman, Esc Sal 28, are listed as Missing.

1120 German ace Georg von Hantelmann, with Jasta 15 shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 17.

1810 English RAF ace Leslie Hollinghurst, in Sopwith Dolphin C4320, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 8.

1815 English RAF pilot Nicholson Boulton and Canadian ace observer Harold Edwards, in Bristol F.2b E2213, claim two Fokker D.VIIs. Victories 4 and 5 for Boulton; 12 and 13 for Edwards.

1815 German ace Fritz Rumey, flying with Jasta 5, shoots down Sopwith Dolphin D3741 for victory number 41. Lt F.W. Goodman, 87 Sqdn RAF, is wounded.

1820 Nicholson Boulton and Harold Edwards gain their third victory of the day, shooting down another Fokker D.VII. Number 6 for Boulton; number 14 for Edwards.

1025 English RAF obsrver Clement Boothroyd, in Bristol F.2b E2340 with Lt A.D. Kiemander as pilot, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 5.

German pilot Vfw Paul Färber (3 victories) is killed in action against 87 Sqdn RAF. No claim was filed by the British.

[Jimbuna]

24th September 1918

Western Front

French and British co-operate in attack in St. Quentin sector, good progress made, in spite of strong resistance, around hamlets of Salency (Noyon) and Gricourt.

Allies within two miles of St. Quentin.

French capture Francilly-Selency and Dallon; approach Giffecourt.

Southern Front

Allies continue to advance on both sides of Vardar river.

Bulgarians offer strong rearguard resistance.

French advance beyond Prilep and Serbians approach Babuna Pass.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

General Allenby's troops in pursuit of Turkish 4th Army approach Amman on Hejaz railway. Arab forces cut the line farther north and press enemy in retreat from Maan. 40,000 prisoners and 265 guns taken.

Aviation

U.S. Navy pilot David Sinton Ingalls becomes the first US Navy ace (he is also the only US Navy ace in WWI)


Royal Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bell Davies makes the first true aircraft carrier landing in history, landing a Sopwith 1½ Strutter on the bare steel flight deck of HMS "Argus" in the Firth of Forth.


Political, etc.

In the face of the Allied advance in Macedonia against Bulgarian troops, the government of Bulgaria seeks a separate ceasefire with the Allies.

Railway strike, which began in South Wales, spreads to other lines; Great Western, Midland and London and South Western affected.

Yugo-Slav charter signed at Agram.

Resignation of Japanese Cabinet announced.

Ship Losses:

Erik (Sweden) The schooner sprang a leak and sank in the Atlantic Ocean off Huelva, Andalusia, Spain. Her crew were rescued by two Spanish merchant vessels.

[Sailor Steve]

September 24, 1918


Air War:

0700 English RAF ace Gilbert Strange, flying SE.5a E4054, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 7.

0730 German ace Martin Dehmisch, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down SE.5a E4054 for victory number 10. Capt Gilbert John Strange, 40 Sqdn RAF, is killed.

0820 German ace Fritz Rumey, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down an SE.5a for victory number 42.

0830 German ace Otto Schmidt, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down an SE.5a for victory number 15.

0915 South African RAF ace Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, in SE.5a E6028, destroys a German observaton balloon for victory number 46.

0915 English RAF ace Sidney Highwood, flying SE.5a E4071, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 9.

1030 English RAF ace George Hicks, in an SE.5a, shoots down a Siemens-Schuckert D.IV for victory number 6.

1040 German ace Karl Bohnenkamp, with Jasta 22, shoots down an Armstrong-Whitworth FK.8 for victory number 11.

1045 George Hicks scores his second kill of the day, shooting down a Rumpler two-seater for victory number 7.

1120 German ace Oskar Hennrich, with Jasta 46, destroys an Allied observation balloon for victory number 14.

1350 Sidney Highwood scores his second and third kills of the day, bringing down two more German balloons. Victories 10 and 11.

1440 Canadian RAF ace William Jenkins, in Sopwith Camel E4407, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 8.

1440 American RAF pilot Cleo Pineau, in Sopwith Camel F3238, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 3.

1440 American RAF ace Kenneth Unger, in Sopwith Camel F3930, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 7.

1445 Cleo Pineau scores his second kill of the day, another Fokker D.VII, for number 4.

1450 English RAF ace George Hodson, flying Sopwith Camel D3341, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 6.

1455 George Hodson scores his second kill of the day, another Fokker D.VII for victory number 7.

1600 English RAF pilot Geoffrey Hooper and Canadian ace observer Harold Edwards, in Bristol F.2b E2536, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 4 for Hooper; number 13 for Edwards.

1600 English RAF pilot Thomas Traill and observer Richard Gordon-Bennett, in Bristol F.2b E2252, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 5 for Traill; number 4 for Gordon-Bennett.

1510 Oskar Hennrich scores his second kill of the day, a British observation balloon, for victory number 15.

1512 Oskar Hennrich gains his third victory of the day, yet another British balloon, for number 16.

1615 German ace Johannes Klein, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 16.

1640 English RAF ace pilot George Randal, in Bristol F.2b E2470 with Lt J. Hackett as observer, claims two Fokker D.VIIs for victories 6 and 7.

1700 Irish RAF observer William Tyrrell, in Bristol F.2b F5823 with Lt L.C. Rowney as pilot, claims two Fokker D.VIIs for victories 2 and 3.

1700 English RAF ace pilot Samuel Thompson and ace observer Ronald Fletcher, in Bristol F.2b E2243, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 29 for Thompson; number 26 for Fletcher.

1730 Two RAF Camel aces share a victory over a Fokker D.VII:
George Hodson, England, D3341, victory number 8.
David Ingalls, United States, D9649, victory number 6. This is Ingalls' last aerial victory. He became the US Navy's first ace four days earlier, on September 20. He will survive the war as the Navy's only WW1 ace, and go on to a rich and varied career, living until 1985.

1730 German ace Josef Mai, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 28.

1810 Australian AFC pilot James Wellwood, in SE.5a D6968, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 5.

1835 German ace Josef Jacobs, with Jasta 7, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 31.

1900 German ace Carl Degelow, with Jasta 40, shoots down SE.5a E4074 for victory number 17. Capt C. Crawford, 41 Sqdn RAF, is taken prisoner.

1900 German ace Gustav Dörr, with Jasta 45, shoots down a SPAD XIII for victory number 29. 1st Lt E.L. Moore, 49th Aero Sqdn USAS, is wounded.

German ace Paul Bäumer, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 31. Capt E.J. Kingston-McCloughry, 4 Sqdn RAF, is wounded.

Paul Bäumer scores his second kill of the day, shooting down a DH.9 for victory number 32.

German ace Otto Löffler, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 12.

English RAF ace pilot William Staton and ace observer Leslie Mitchell, in a Bristol F.2b, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 26 for Staton; number 8 for Mitchell. This is also the last aerial victory for both. William Staton will survive the war and remain in the RAF, serving in a variaty of posts including Air Aid-de Camp to The King. In the Second World War he will command the first British air raid on Berlin (Oct 1-2 1939), then will fly several raids early in the war, earning the DSO. In 1940 Staton will command RAF Leeming, an air base in Yorkshire. In 1941 he will be appointed Senior Air Staff Officer, Headquarters RAF for the Far East. In March 1942, when Java falls, Staton will be captured by the Japanese and be a POW for the next three and a half years, enduring several types of torture for refusing to cooperate. After that War he will serve until his retirement in 1952. William Ernest Staton will die on July 22, 1983, aged 84.

German 10-victory ace Ltn Martin Demisch is severely wounded in combat, dying of his wounds the following day.

[Jimbuna]

25th September 1918

Western Front

Sharp local fighting renewed in neighbourhood of Selency (two miles west of St. Quentin).

Surprise attacks by enemy near Moeuvres and Epehy are repulsed.

Artillery actions on French front.

Southern Front

Bulgaria proposes an Armistice, but General Franchet d'Esperey, (Commander-in-Chief of Allied forces) declines any suspension of hostilities.

Serbians in posession of Babuna Pass, they capture Veles and Ishtip, press on to Uskub.

British cross Bulgarian frontier at Kosturino. Over 10,000 prisoners and 200 guns.

End of battle of the Vardar.

Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres

In Palestine British cavalry reach Sea of Galilee in pursuit of Turks, who are fleeing towards Damascus.

East of Jordan British cavalry occupy Amman on Hejaz railway. Total of prisoners 45,000 and 265 guns.

Naval

German submarine U-156, which sank 44 ships during its career and participated in the Attack on Orleans (the only attack on the American mainland in the war), hits a mine and sinks, resulting in the deaths of all 77 crew.

Political, etc.

Yugo-Slav State recognised by Italy as independent.

Ship Losses:

Gloire a Jesus (France) The sailing vessel was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 200 nautical miles (370 km) south west of the Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom by SM U-46 ( Imperial German Navy).
Hebburn (United Kingdom) The collier was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean 14 nautical miles (26 km) off Mine Head, Cornwall (51°40′N 7°13′W) by SM UB-91 ( Imperial German Navy) with the loss of six of her crew.
****omu Maru (Japan) The cargo ship sank at Shinagawa, Tokyo.
SM U-156 (Imperial German Navy) The Type U 151 submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea with the loss of all 77 crew.
unknown (Russian Navy White Movement) The boat was shelled and damaged by Sergei ( Soviet Navy), run aground and abandoned on the Volga River.

[Sailor Steve]

September 25, 1918


Air War:

1130 Australian AFC ace Adrian Cole, flying SE.5a D6964, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 9.

1810 English RAF ace pilot Chester Thompson, in Bristol F.2b C1035 with Lt L.R. James as observer, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 9.

1815 German ace Robert von Greim, flying with Jasta 34, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 24.

1815 English RAF pilot Geoffrey Hooper and Canadian ace observer Harold Edwards, in Bristol F.2b E2536, claim two Fokker D.VIIs. Victories 5 and 6 for Hooper; 16 and 17 for Edwards.

1820 Geoffrey Hooper and Harold Edwards gain their third victory of the day, bringing down another Fokker D.VII. Number 7 for Hooper; number 18 for Edwards.

1820 English RAF ace pilot Thomas Traill and Canadian observer Richard Gordon-Bennett, in Bristol F.2b E2252, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 6 for Traill; number 5 for Gordon-Bennett.

1830 Scottish RAF pilot Malcolm McCall and English ace observer Clement Boothroyd, in Bristol F.2b E2569, shoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 4 for McCall; number 6 for Boothroyd.

1850 German ace Franz Piechulek, with Jasta 56, shoots down Sopwith Camel C66 for victory number 11. 2nd Lt T. Warburton, 204 Sqdn RAF, is taken prisoner.

German ace Friedrich Noltenius, with Jasta 27, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 13.

[Jimbuna]

26th September 1918

Western Front

Great Franco-American attack on 40-mile front, from middle of Champagne to the Meuse.

French under General Gouraud, Americans under General Pershing. Both armies advance several miles, capture Montfaucon, Varennes and many villages.

Southern Front

British enter Strumitsa (Bulgaria).

Serbian cavalry, striking east from Ishtip, capture Kochana.

Bulgarians make hard fight to retain Uskub.

Naval

U.S.S. Tampa sunk on convoy duty (131 lost).

Aviation

For the second time French ace René Fonck shoots down six German aircraft in one day.


Political, etc.

Railway strike in England ended.

Count Tisza's Mission to Bosnia a complete failure.

Ship Losses:

Belle Brice (France) The schooner foundered in a gale at Castellón de la Plana, Spain.
Paul (Belgium) The coaster was torpedoed and sunk in the North Sea off Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (54°27′N 0°30′W) by SM UB-21 ( Imperial German Navy). Her crew survived.
USCGC Tampa (United States Navy) The Ungula-class cutter was torpedoed and sunk in the Bristol Channel 50°40′N 6°19′W by SM UB-91 ( Imperial German Navy) with the loss of all 131 people on board.

[Sailor Steve]

September 26, 1918


Air War:

0552 American pilot Reed McKinley Chambers, flying a SPAD XIII, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 1.

0710 German ace Max Näther, with Jasta 62, shoots down SPAD XIII 15195 for victory number 14. 1st Lt T.P. Evans, 13th Aero Sqdn USAS, is taken prisoner.

0730 American pilot James Dudley Beane, in a SPAD XIII, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 1.

0800 Three French pilots from three different units share a victory over a Fokker D.VII:
Emile Régnier, Spa 89, victory number 5.
S/Lt Schurck (no first name given), Spa 91, victory number 3.
Armand de Turenne, Spa 12, victory number 14.

0810 German ace Wilhelm Seitz, with Jasta 8, shoots down SPAD XIII 15102 for victory number 11. 2nd Lt V.H. Burgin, 13th Aero Sqdn USAS, is taken prisoner.

0830 German ace Fritz Höhn, flying with Jasta 60, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 14.

1025 German ace Karl Bohnenkamp, with Jasta 22, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for victory number 12.

1045 Canadian RAF pilot Henry Clappison, in Sopwith Camel F3243, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 2.

1145 French ace René Fonck, in a SPAD XIII, claims two German "Scouts" for victories 61 and 62.

1210 René Fonck gains his third victory of the day, shooting down a Halberstadt two-seater for number 63.

1215 German ace Walter Blume, flying with Jasta 9, shoots down a SPAD 2-seater for victory number 26.

1215 German ace Georg von Hantelmann, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down SPAD XIII 15129 for victory number 17. 1st Lt H.R. Sumner, 139th Aero Sqdn USAS, is taken prisoner.

1215 Fritz Höhn scores his second kill of the day, destroying a French observation balloon for victory number 15.

1220 Canadian RAF ace James White, in Sopwith Dolphin E7165, shoots down a Pfalz D.XII for victory number 9.

1300 German ace Gustav Dörr, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a two-seat SPAD XI for victory number 30.

1300 English RAF ace pilot Chester Thompson and Irish observer William Tyrrell, flying Bristol F.2b C1035, ahoot down a Fokker D.VII. Victory number 10 for Thompson; number 4 for Tyrrell.

1315 Chester Thompson and William Tyrrell score their second kill of the day, shooting down another Fokker D.VII. Victory number 11 for Thompson; number 5 for Tyrrell.

1350 German ace Rudolf Francke, with Jasta 8, shoots down SPAD XIII 7660 for victory number 15. 1st Lt I.J. Roth, 49th Aero Sqdn USAS, is killed.

1400 German ace Fritz Rumey, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down Bristol F.2b E2163 for victory number 43. 2nd Lt C.A. Harrison and Lt J.A. Parkinson are taken prisoner.

1430 German ace Christian Mesch, with Jasta 26, shoots down Sopwith Camel D8168 for victory number 13. Capt A. Storey, 208 Sqdn RAF, is wounded.

1510 English RAF ace George hicks, flying an SE.5a, ahoots down a DFW D.V for victory number 8.

1535 German ace Max Näther, with Jasta 62, destroys an American observation balloon for victory number 15. 1st Lt S.V. Clarke and 2nd Lt S.E. White, 9th Balloon Company USBS, parachute safely.

1545 Max Näther scores his second victory of the day, ahooting down a SPAD XIII for victory number 16.

1645 German ace Oskar Hennrich, with Jasta 46, destroys a British observation balloon for victory number 17.

1645 Two French pilots with Spa 57 share in the destruction of a German observation balloon:
Cpl Beaume (no first name given), victory number 1.
Marcel Nogues, victory number 13.

1710 German ace Ernst Udet, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 61.

1720 German ace Johannes Klein, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 16.

1720 Ernst Udet scores his second kill of the day, shooting down another DH.9 for victory number 62.

1727 German ace Bernhard Ultsch, with Jasta 77, shoots down a DH.9 for victory number 10. In all, 99 Sqdn RAF lost six DH.9s this day.

1755 German ace Hans von Freden, with Jasta 50, destroys a French observation balloon for victory number 10.

1805 Fritz Rumey scores his second kill of the day, shooting down a DH.4 for victory number 44.

1810 René Fonck gets his fourth victory of the day, bringing down a Fokker D.VII for number 64.

1820 René Fonck claims his fifth and sixth kills of the day, two more Fokker D.VIIs for numbers 65 and 66.

1825 American RAF pilot Malcolm Howell, in Sopwith Camel E1535, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 4.

1845 Three French pilots from Spa 12 share a victory over a German observation balloon:
S/Lt Herlemont (no first name given), victory number 2.
Sgt Maurio (no first name given, victory number 2.
Armand de Turenne, victory number 15.

German ace Hermann Becker, flying with Jasta 12, shoots down DH.4 32915 for victory 17. 1st Lts P.N. Rhinelander and H.C. Preston, 20th Aero Sqdn RSAS, are both Killed.

Hermann Becker scores his second victory of the day, shooting down DH.4 32819 for victory number 18. 1st Lt R.P. Matthews and 2nd Lt E.A. Taylor, 20th Aero Sqdn USAS, are both killed.

German ace Ernst Bormann, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwith Camel for vicory number 11.

German ace Franz Büchner, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down SPAD XIII 7519 for victory number 33. 2nd Lt Ivan Andrew Roberts, 27th Aero Sqdn USAS (3 victories), is listed as Missing.*

Franz Büchner scores his second kill of the day, shooting down Salmson 2.A2 5229 for victory number 34. 1st Lt J.F. Richards and 2nd Lt A.F. Hanscom, 1st Aero Sqdn USAS, are both killed.

Franz Büchner gains his third victory of the day, shooting down SPAD XIII 4505 for number 35. 2nd Lt Alan Nutt, 94th Aero Sqdn USAS, is killed.

Franz Büchner obtains his fourth victory of the day, another SPAD XIII, for number 36. 1st Lt Alden B. Sherry, 94th Aero Sqdn USAS, lands safely.

French ace Gustave Daladier, with Spa 93, destroys a German observation balloon for victory number 10.

Gustave Daladier scores his second kill of the day, shooting down an "Enemy Aircraft" for number 11.

German ace Hans von Freden, with Jasta 50, shoots down a Salmson 2.A2 for victory number 11. Sgt Henri Lemaire, Sal 16, is wounded; Lt Champagnet (no first name given) is unharmed.

German ace Albert Haussmann, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down SPAD XIII 7515 for victory number 15. 1st Lt H.A. GArvie, 139th Aero Sqdn USAS, is taken prisoner.

German ace Bruno Loerzer, in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a Sopwih Camel for victory number 43.

Bruno Loerzer scores his second kill of the day, another Sopwith Camel, for victory number 44.

Canadian RAF ace Donald MacLaren, in Sopwith Camel F2137, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 51.

*Following the death of his best friend and wingman Joe Wehner on September 18th, Frank Luke was so despondent that he botched his take-off on the next day's mission and crashed into an anti-aircraft gun position. Major Harold Hartney, commander of the 1st Pursuit Group, and fellow ace Eddie Rickenbacker threw a party for Luke that night. With his latest victory Frank had taken Eddie's place as the American "Ace of Aces", and Rickenbacker thought that was fine. Hartney gave Luke a seven-day pass to go to Paris. When he arrived there Frank Luke found himself to be a major celebrity. At the same time The Arizona Republican carried an article praising Frank's record of nine German balloons, which came as a shock to his family because to save them worry he hadn't even told them he was at the front. They thought he was still ferrying planes from staging bases to various squadrons.

After five days in Paris Frank Luke returned to the 27th Aero, having quickly become bored with the night life. He was put back on the flight line, and his new wingman was Ivan Roberts, nicknamed "Robbie". On September 25th they were given what would in a later war be called a "Milk Run". They were to fly to the American trenches and drop packs of cigarettes and candy to the troops below. This went well and the next day they were given a combat patrol. They were attacked by German planes and became separated. Frank Luke managed to escape, but didn't score, and Ivan Roberts was shot down.

Friedrich Wilhelm "Fred" Zinn was an American, of German descent, who was visiting in France when the war started in August 1914. He joined the French Foreign Legion. He was wounded twice, and in February 1916 he transferred to the French Air Force. As a gunner and bombardier he helped pioneer aerial photography. When the United States joined the war Zinn, now a captain, worked in the personnel division. Feeling a personal responsibility toward the men he sent to the front, many of whom died there, Zinn remained in Europe after the war and made it his life's work to track down all the American aviators listed as "Missing". he continued this work through the Second World War. One of the Missing Zinn couldn't find was Ivan Roberts. "Robbie" was missing in more ways than one. The volume New England Aviators Lists all the pilots from New England, But not Ivan. His hometown of Berkshire, Massachusetts, published an Honor Roll all the men and women from the town who ever served in the military. He's not on it, though his brother Thomas Jr is. In official accounts, if he's mentioned at all it is always as "Frank Luke's other wingman who died". One account says that when Roberts crashed he was seen to jump out of his wrecked SPAD and dive into a shell crater. In October 1919 The International Red Cross told Roberts' family that he had been severely wounded and died six days later. One thing that made it hard for Zinn was that Roberts had been logged with the British aviators' fatality list rather than the Americans. Another problem was that the overly meticulous Germans somehow never logged him as a Prisoner Of War. This may be because he was taken directly to a field hospital and never went to a POW camp. He may simply have been buried quickly in a trench, along with fallen German soldiers.

Thomas Roberts, Ivan's father, and Robbie's sister Elizabeth, spent the rest of their lives trying to find word of their missing son and brother. According to Blaine Pardoe, there were only five or six airmen that Fred Zinn couldn't find. Ivan Roberts is one of them.
(Terror of the Autumn Skies, by Blaine Pardoe, 2008)